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Three Great River Adventures

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3 BEST Rafting Trips in Utah/Colorado Northern Border

Northeastern Utah and the Colorado border are full of wonders to explore. As John Wesley Powell says, “We have an unknown distance yet to run, an unknown river to explore. What falls there are, we know not; what rocks beset the channel, we know not; what walls ride over the river, we know not. Ah, well! we may conjecture many things.” 

  1. Gates of Lodore (Green River Section)

Time Commitment is typically 3-4 days

As you enter the narrow and dark maroon walls at the Gates; 4 days of changing scenery and geology are about to blow your mind. You are submitting yourself into the canyon that John Wesley Powell and his crew ventured into without knowing what was ahead.  As you traverse the thrilling rapids with a skilled guide you will get to experience whitewater that is full of splashing water and a unique epic experience.  

Between all the fun whitewater and chilling on the raft observing big horn sheep and other animals in nature. You can pull over and tie off the boat.  Rippling Brook hike takes you to a small waterfall and then on the way back you can venture to the edge of a cliff where you can view the river looking upstream and downstream.  The view is spectacular and will be something you won’t forget. This isn’t the only opportunity for side excursions. Your guides will help you explore the many intricate beauties of Lodore Canyon and all she has to offer.   

  1. Yampa River (Designated Wild and Scenic)

Time Commitment is typically 4-5 days

As you leave the meanders of Deerlodge Park, the put-in for the Yampa River and enter the vast canyon of the wild and scenic chocolate river, you will find the magic and wonder of the place many guides call their summer office. The canyon walls will quickly bombard your mind with amazement. While every essence of your being is siphoned into the flow of the river moving forward in a constant swirling progression. The river will suck your soul in and the journey of how you fall in love with this sacred place has been set in motion. The desert daytime sun will be countered with coolish nights soaking in the cool breeze coming off the fresh runoff water from the Rocky Mountains. After day one you feel like maybe you know what to expect until you hit the long stretch of calm water and the Grand Overhang. Now it’s game on, where does all this slow moving water lead us…in no hurry at all? 

The water all funnels into this narrow opening at the top of a rapid and not just any rapid. But THE rapid, that was formed by a landslide in ’65 and changed this canyon forever, Warm Springs! The rush of water gushing and gurgling as it bellows over the rock we call Maytag makes our experienced stomachs start to churn. The excitement and adrenaline pulse through our bodies and we wave to those left at the rivers’ edge waiting their turn. Double checking all the gear and reminding all to hang on, we slowly enter the tongue and then we are off and before we know it, we are screaming, cheering and maybe even cursing but we are making our way digging our oars in with every ounce of strength we can muster.  Phew we made it and we throw our hands in the air and let out an elated, HELL YEAH!  

And that’s not all. Don’t leave out all the cool stops to the Ancient Indigenous Artwork and granaries from the Fremont Culture. Taking this exhilarating ride will provide you with great food, entertainment, culture and all the natural wonder you could want in a 4-5 day trip. 

The Gates of Lodore and the Yampa River are two escapes from the fast paced world that start and end near Vernal, UT and actually takes you through the heart of Dinosaur National Monument.  Now that’s a place many don’t get to see!  

  1. Green River A,B,C Section (Below Flaming Gorge Dam)

Time commitment is typically 1-3 days (or more if your heart desires)

These pieced out sections can be several one day trips or turned into a 2 night, 3 day excursion. This is hands down one of the most beautiful one day stretches around. Located below the Flaming Gorge dam, you put-in and can go. This is a great place to tackle some world class trout fishing and have some fun on a mellow low-key whitewater river. This scenic float along the Green River has some fun class 2 rapids perfect for an introduction to river rafting. Almost all ages can come and enjoy a day on the water. A picnic included can provide a chance to explore some of the small beaches and play in the cold water on a hot summer day. 

The world class fishing alone brings thousands of people to visit and explore this section of the Green River every summer. A Utah one day river rafting trip is a great way to get out and adventure with the family if you aren’t quite committed to the high adventure of a longer 4 or 5 day trip. There are takeout’s between each section making it easy to lengthen or shorten your trip based on your needs.

I encourage those seeking a great thrill to consider these three options. It could be a time to escape the chaos of the world noise and enter the magic of nature through the veins and arteries that give the earth life and may be a renewal to yours. 

-Kassie Robbins

Visit Utah Film Trip

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Each raft trip we guide along the Green and Yampa Rivers are unique and special in their own way. Whether this be the great people that you meet, the animals you see, scenery, rapids or any number of things along the way each trip is truly special. One trip that stood out for me during the 2019 summer season was a film trip with Visit Utah. Visit Utah is the state of Utah’s travel and tourism marketing department. Visit Utah reached out to us to help guide and host a film trip with the sole purpose of getting high quality video and photography to market Dinosaur National Monument and river rafting along the Green River Gates of Lodore. Visit Utah is promoting lesser known areas of Utah to tourists looking to see the spectacular sights we have here. They are also looking to promote local guide and outfitters in these lesser known areas. As Vernal, Utah’s only locally owned and operated outfitter we were the chosen company. The end results of this co op after six months of editing and refining the video and photos is nothing less than stunning and world class. Visit Utah and there team did a fantastic job of capturing the essence of Dinosaur Monument and what it maybe like to take a river rafting trip along the route of the Green River. This section of the Green River through the Gates of Lodore canyon begins its journey in Colorado’s Brown Park region. With that said most commercial rafting trips begin and end their adventures in Vernal, Utah.

The trip started out as usual with a pre trip meeting at our Vernal, Utah office meeting the guests and film crew, getting them oriented as to what to expect the next four days and providing them with dry bags for day gear and camp time gear. This meeting also provided us an opportunity to learn about what the KNHO film crew would need from us to successfully accomplish their vision while traversing the river canyon. We learned a lot at this meeting and were able to prepare with adequate dry boxes and storage systems for the multitude of cameras, laptops, chargers, solar panels and assorted gear that was required to obtain the high quality footage they took.

The guests were an incredible family that were full of life and excitement wanting to experience as much of the river trip as possible. Nushin (mom) and her three children Layla, Noah and Eesa were chosen from an online audition process to be the focus family in the final film. This family was a great choice, their sense of adventure lent itself perfectly to all the possibilities found on a multi day rafting trip. Each person was excited to hike, swim, try their hand at inflatable kayaks or stand up paddle boarding. Which all lined up perfectly with the story that the producer had envisioned for the films story line. Nushin followed up after the four day trip with a great write up of her and her families experience visiting Dinosaur National Monument and going on their first big river rafting excursion.

Check out her write up here. https://www.visitutah.com/articles/utah-family-rafting-dinosaur-national-monument/

Visit Utah Film Trip
4 day family guided rafting trip through the Gates of Lodore in Dinosaur National Monument near Vernal, Utah. https://www.jeremiahwattphotography.com/

The film crew was a fun group of characters (in a good way, they all had awesome personalities) with some neat backgrounds in the film arts. Sandra Salvas was the trips producer and organized the components for the film crew. Mike Eldredge of KNHO was the films director and a camera man, Austin Balls was the second camera man and Tony Hagerdorn was the photographer. This crew like I mentioned before knew their stuff. The equipment they brought along was Hollywood quality filming gear, single lenses that cost upwards of $10,000.00, super powerful laptops to download each days footage, really cool solar powered generator from Utah’s own Goal Zero. We knew they were good, because we had the opportunity to view previous works on Utah adventures where they captured the essence of mountain biking the Bears Ear National Monument area, horse back riding in Monument Valley, snow skiing the Wasatch Mountain range. All of the film we viewed in advance was beautifully done.

As always, we the crew departed Vernal in the early dark am hours for Brown’s Park Colorado where we would start our four day journey. After a 2 hour drive we arrived at the Gates of Lodore put in where we unloaded the rig truck and trailer load of gear and began preparing the rafts for the guests and film crew to arrive. This process is not quick and can be quite laborious. It takes a lot of gear and the gear can be heavy, cumbersome to move around on a sandy beach and awkward. This part of the trip has to occur to make all the magic happen, without fully rigged rafts it is tough to take a rafting trip. When all the heavy lifting is done there is always a little downtime between having the rafts ready and when the guests arrive. This is guide time where they get to take care of themselves. Brushing teeth, putting on sunscreen, finishing coffee and breakfast the basics that keep them healthy and functioning well. Guide time becomes very valuable as the summer progresses and the wear and tear of sun, sand and water take their toll on a body.

Once the guests arrive everything goes fairly quick from loading the last bits of gear to securing life jackets and safety speech. You are off the van and on to a river adventure in a small whirlwind of time. This is where for me as a guide of 25 years, the trip took a turn and became really interesting. The interesting turn was the artistic aspect that was brought along by the film crew. As an artist and art teacher it was fascinating to work with the crew in setting up the perfect shots, finding the vantage point that really highlighted the scenery and wilderness found in Dinosaur National Monument. These guys are pro’s, their work is all over Hollywood, the internet, You Tube channels with millions of views. They knew what type of imagery they wanted and were meticulous in obtaining it. The film crew had their own boat that was able to leap frog the rafts and set up in advance to take video and photos. At times the film boat would be an hour or so ahead of us while the film crew would take hikes up above the canyon floor. Sometimes hiking 500 vertical feet or so above us to get some of the most incredible aerial views I have ever seen of Lodore Canyon. This process became rather quick and seamless as we all became a tight crew working on this film project together.

Throughout the filming process, Sandra and her crew amazed us constantly with high tech and low tech camera gear. All the while they were excellent at answering our layman questions as to what this equipment was and why they chose different cameras, lenses or apparatus for particular shots. The tools that really amazed me were all of the Go Pro sports camera accessories. I have several Go Pro cameras and dabble with taking video and photos with some success. The accessories they brought along were game changers in taking action footage. A camera mount you hold in your teeth, this one gets perfect point of view video. A camera housing that takes perfect video at the water level. This half round contraption allowed the camera to have clear focus under and above the water at the same time. All cool items that showed their use when the video was edited out and the awesome shots that they got using these cool tools.

Overall the filming trip had great weather, water levels were perfect, group dynamics were spot on and it was wonderful experience for all of us. The end results are beautiful photographs and extremely high quality video that is fun to watch. After six months of waiting patiently to see the end product we could not be more proud of the whole teams collaboration to create a wonderful artistic work. Thank you must go out to the entire Visit Utah team and Nushin and her family from the Dinosaur River Expeditions crew.

5 Great Restaurants After Your Utah Rafting Trip

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So you just came off an excursion down one of Utah’s gorgeous rivers. You’ve had camp meals for the past several days. Or maybe just a deli lunch on a day float. Maybe even just a granola bar and some trail mix. Yes, you may have been exposed to sun, wind, possibly even rain I could imagine. You’ve packed and unpacked a boat numerous times, even if it was just this morning and just this evening. Anyway you cut it, you’ve likely worked up an appetite – and not an appetite to do more work. You’re returning to civilization, and while that may be hard it certainly comes with some perks. Perks like near limitless meal options, and someone else preparing the food for you to boot. The only hard part of this equation is where to eat?

 

Dinosaur Brewhaus

If you’re coming out of Dinosaur National Monument after a 4 or 5 day trip on the Green River Gates of Lodore or Yampa River, Vernal Utah boasts several great spots to sate your hunger. One simply shouldn’t leave Vernal without trying out the Dinosaur Brewhaus. It’s simple pub fair, but has a down-home and delicious taste, with complimentary peanuts while you wait, and a variety of Utah beers on hand. They’re used to their fare share of river runners, so come in whatever condition you leave the boat ramp in! 

 

Sabaku Sushi

Say you’re enjoying the day float in Moab, or coming off the monstrous waves of Cataract canyon, Moab is well equipped to meet your gastronomic desires. The unbeatable Sabaku Sushi serves up incredible options from our river running friend and amazing chef Alex Borichevsky. Not only does he know great river running he serves up delectable fresh sushi offerings. This is a Moab favorite.

 

Vernal Brewing Company

Maybe you just finished up a classic Utah 1 day Flaming Gorge Green River trip and are looking for a little more flare to your evening meal. For more variety and atmosphere, the Vernal Brewing Company is top notch. They boast a wide selection of entrees and of course have their locally brewed beer on tap. Try the Little Hole Lager or the local favorite the 50 Caliber IPA, and other craft and domestic beers as well. The brewing operation is a sight to behold, but if you’re hoping for a tour I’d recommend cleaning up a tad before asking about a table.

 

Ray’s Tavern

Coming off of a Desolation Canyon/Grays river trip, you end up in the small town of Green River Utah. Good bang for your buck is Ray’s Tavern, a quaint little eatery that’s got its roots in the river running community. Enjoy burgers and sandwiches all the while marveling at some amazing shots of whitewater from the sports’ long and storied history.

 

Taggart’s Grill

Paddling out of Park City will likely put you on the Weber River, a calm stretch of water that runs along train tracks and highway 84. Raft, kayak, or tube this river (pick up your trash!) and enjoy the Taggart’s Grill at the take out. Taggart’s Grill offers exquisitely crafted sandwiches, soups, and pizzas. They’re in house desserts – like their carrot cake – are out of this world, and their beer selection isn’t too bad to boot. Just remember, no shirt, no shoes, no service.

 

 

First Year Raft Guiding

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They say there’s more than one way to skin a cat, which is to say there are many ways to accomplish a task. In my first year guiding I heard the same phrase, if only a little differently. It’s your cat, you skin it; which is to say do it however you see fit. Of course, when it came time to actually do the thing I usually did it wrong. So much for the many ways. But a first year of doing anything is a steep learning curve. Eventually you learn that while there are many ways to do something, some ways are easier and more efficient. So here’s a story about learning the best way to skin a cat.

I grew up running rivers with my family. When the time and opportunity arose I applied for a job at Dinosaur River Expeditions. Wouldn’t you know it they hired me. That first year I was nervous, but expected that I knew quite a bit more than someone off the street. Pride comes before the fall. I was a lousy boatman. All that time on the water with my family, I’d never spent any time rowing the raft. I was always in a hardshell kayak. The kayak is a one man craft, made of hard plastic, relatively light and maneuverable. A raft on the other hand is rigid rubber, and depending on the size can fit six to eight people. As a novice I wouldn’t have called them maneuverable boats. So there I am on the day section of Flaming Gorge. A kayak mind in a raft body. Let me be clear, the day stretch is class II whitewater at most. It’s mainly a scenic float. The lines are straight forward: take the tongue, avoid the rocks. I guess that’s not how I wanted to skin my cat. Just about everyday that first summer I’d high side the boat on a rock, or high center the damn thing and be parked in the center of the river for a minute or two. And, just as inevitably, I’d send a couple of my passengers into the water. A coworker quickly nicknamed me danger. “That’s the danger boat, if you’re looking for an exciting ride,” he’d say, and I’d see the uneasiness creep into the smiles of my passengers faces and see the hint of doubt in their eyes, and I’d hope like hell I ran a better line.

When I did get to run multi days (they were hard pressed for help that summer, and so gave me the opportunity to run a boat, god bless em) my lines were little better. And as bad a boatman as I was, I was an even worse kitchen hand. Especially if you ask a coworker, who shall remain nameless. It was as if I’d never lifted a knife and chopped a vegetable. Or greased a pan. To be fair to her I did have trouble distinguishing cabbage from iceberg lettuce in the vegetable cooler. I ran around that kitchen like a headless chicken, and she was on my tail like a hungry fox, making sure I knew every mistake I made and making sure I knew it damn well. Even still, I made brownies with olive oil and forgot to put them in the dutch oven (luckily someone was watching my work, and dessert came out on time, and as I recall no one noticed an odd aftertaste of olives). After doing dishes and cleaning the kitchen, there were nights I’d sit on my boat and think I wasn’t cut out for the job. But morning would inevitably come, and I’d do my damnedest to make sure the scrambled eggs weren’t burned, and people would hop on my boat for the exciting ride, only to be stuck on a rock for a while or sent for an unexpected swim.

Though I was an inept boatman, and a liability in the kitchen, for all that I was – in the writer’s humble opinion – an alright guide. Who knows, maybe it was like watching a train wreck. But people enjoyed being on my boat, risks included. I guess it’s not that surprising. These days your guide is as interesting as the place they’re guiding you through. If wealth was measured in stories in memories, your guides would be some of the wealthiest people on the planet. And believe you me, they’re eager to share that wealth. So, to all the passengers and guides that were there in my first season, thanks.

Disconnecting

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Have you ever had that moment of panic when you can’t feel your phone in your pocket, or can’t find it in your purse? Our devices have become ubiquitous. Odds are you’re reading this on some device or other. We can check our bank statements. We can reach our loved ones from almost anywhere, not only hear their voices but see their faces; our kids off at college, or our parents living in the next state over. These things have made our lives much easier and our world much smaller. There is the ever constant news stream, which has become increasingly more difficult to parse through. There are the photos and videos from friends and influence’s. There are the work emails that can now be received from almost anywhere.

Yes, good or ill, our devices are here to stay. But, if you’re reading this, (and you have made it this far), you’ve probably found they can be a distraction, detrimental even. In fact, we’re beginning to find that as we increasingly interface with our world through a screen, we’re not practicing some crucial skills. We’re less empathetic, and less willing to try and understand things from viewpoints that differ from our own. It seems a little gloomy. How do we get back to real human interaction? How do we escape work emails, the stream of social media, and the constant news feed? We can get outside.

Though our devices may be ubiquitous, WiFi and cell phone service are not. Get far enough off the beaten path, and your place of work can’t find you to ask if you’ve finished those reports or met with the accounting department. In the backcountry the space you move through is now larger than life, even though it’s such a small slice of the world. It’s now infinitely bigger than it could have been on your favorite social media site.

The benefits of getting away from our devices and getting outside become even more apparent when we do it with our friends and family. When going into the wilderness on a backcountry river rafting trip preparedness is key. Good preparation is incumbent on good communication. Therein is where real human interaction takes place. When making a plan with one another we are practicing those crucial social skills that make us more empathetic and better able to view the world from multiple viewpoints. It seems mundane in practice, but it’s importance and benefits are widespread. Especially for the developing minds of our children. How does it work? Pretty simple actually. When we discuss a plan, whether it be as simple as a day hike or as complex as a Utah or Colorado multi day river rafting adventure, we each approach what we expect to do differently. Only once there is agreement on a plan do we enact it. And until that point is reached, the discussion of options forces us to look at the plan from the perspective of our companions. We’re practicing our social skills, failing and succeeding together in real time.

Obviously you don’t have to get into the backcountry to do these things. But getting outside happens to be a great place to facilitate these things, as it presents unique challenges, has spotty service and no wifi. So grab your friends and family, ditch those electronic devices and have that human experience in a beautiful place. A multi day river rafting adventure on the Yampa River or Green River Gates of Lodore through Dinosaur National Monument is a perfect place to disconnect from that electronic world and reconnect with your family and friends.

Utah Adventure’s

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Utah boasts the greatest snow on Earth, home to incredible national parks, amazing hiking, mountain biking and river rafting. For skiers the powder snow is light and airy, and the mountains have available terrain for skiers of all ability levels. Indeed, there’s good reason the winter games came to our humble little capital in 2002. Salt Lake City – or Small Lake City, as some call it – is within a 30 to 45 minute drive of eight mountain resorts, including Park City, Snowbasin which hosted the men and women’s downhill, and the famous (or infamous) Snowbird and Alta (skiers only). And it’s no secret. During the winter holidays rental shops and hotels are inundated with travelers from all over the county, even the world. But, in this writer’s opinion, they are missing some of the best Utah has to offer.

Something magical happens come March’s end. Slowly but surely the temperature begins to rise, and all that wonderful snow becomes something the desert West needs so desperately. Water. As spring progresses the snow recedes, a color change to give autumn a run for its money occurs. The foothills and mountains bloom into yellows, purples, and greens. In the lowlands incredible flowers start to bloom. The red Indian paintbrush makes an appearance alongside claret cup cactus and the state flower the brilliant white Sego lily making for a spectacular wildflower show. Starting in May before the heat takes hold, checkout Arches and Zion national parks. The smooth rock makes for easy hiking and incredibly mountain biking.

By June most of the mountain trails are dry. Grab a pair of hiking boots and a water bottle and you can easily enjoy the stunning vistas along the Wasatch. Around Salt Lake, there is easy access to any number of trails of differing difficulty. The Bonneville Shoreline trail – so named as it is the ancient shoreline of a great inland sea – is a mellow and planar trail that spans a great distance. As the summer heats up in July and August, head into the Uintas. Speckled with lakes and covered in pines, its a wonderful place to escape the heat. The lakes and creeks support trout, and the surrounding woodland are home to deer, elk, and moose.

The tried and true best way to beat the heat of summer is to grab a paddle and get wet. While your’e in the Uinta mountains, check out Dutch John, Utah and the Green River. Starting just below the Flaming Gorge dam is a gorgeous section of the Green River. This seven-mile section is perfect for the avid fisherman and those wanting to enjoy a scenic one day float trip. Those with a bigger adventure in mind should continue downstream to Lodore Canyon on the Green River through Dinosaur National Monument. Typically undertaken as a four day trip, this section is chock full of side hikes, beautiful sand beaches, and terrific whitewater. For a similar must do adventure, one should take the five day trip down Colorado’s Yampa River also flowing through Dinosaur National Monument. This beautiful sandstone canyon houses the last un-dammed tributary of the Colorado and Green river systems. Here you can see traces of the ancient peoples that once called this place home. There is abundant rock art, and sites that are still home to ancient granaries. As always there is stupendous white water. You’ll get wet, but you won’t get scared.

Whether you are looking for a quick weekend getaway for world class snow skiing or looking for a longer adventure Utah has something for everyone. Try a fully guided Colorado or Utah white water river rafting adventure today.

River Rafting Safety Tips

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Whitewater Rafting Safety Tips:

For one day or five whitewater rafting is one of the best ways to cool off in the summer heat for people of all ages and experience levels.  That’s right, everyone! In the last 30 years, rafting has grown out of its wild and risky days into a family friendly activity. The invention of new safety gear and a better understanding of whitewater has helped the industry mitigate the risks of rafting. On a guided rafting trip the staff will orient you with a solid safety speech at the put in before launching on your one day or multi day river adventure. Whether it is a Utah one day raft trip on the Green River below Flaming Gorge or a 4 or 5 day white water adventure on the Green River or Yampa River through Dinosaur National Monument keep in mind you are potentially far from advanced help. Your guides are trained, certified and licensed but some injuries are beyond their medical training. Being mindful of your actions and thinking safe are key on a river rafting trip. Here are the basic measures you should take for every whitewater trip.

  • Wear a properly fitting PFD

PFD’s, or life jackets, are the most important piece of equipment in white water rafting. Yes, even more vital than the boat, paddles, or guide.  It is a hard rule: do not go on river without a PFD.  Unlike lakes or oceans, river water churns chaotically in rapids. Eddies form confusing whirlpools that suck straight down, diagonal waves kicking towards canyon walls, and holes circulate water on themselves creating stationary pockets of water within a system of movement.  Fortunately, a snug PFD will remove your need to navigate through this chaos, bringing you thoughtlessly to the surface

The vest should be tight against your chest and shoulders with all the buckles clipped. It shouldn’t come above your ears when you tug on the lapels. The jacket will loosen up over time and when its wet, so be sure to tug on your straps throughout the day and have a guide check that its fitted correctly.

  • Be mindful

The majority of river trip injuries happen on shore not on the river. Be aware of your movements getting on and off the boats and at camp, hiking stops or lunch. It’s easy to twist an ankle, accidentally slice your hand on a dinner knife, or get a burn from boiling water. Slow yourself down, the river isn’t a race. It will save a lot of havoc if you take a breath before swirling around with a knife in your hand.  Also, remember that drugs and alcohol decrease your body awareness and increase the potentially for a clumsy accident. The best way to combat shoreline injuries is simple, pay attention.

  • Dress to the day

Temperature injuries are some of the most common on the river. In the spring, cold air combined with cold water creates a very real hypothermia threat; and in the summer, the reflective water doubles your sun exposure, increasing the risk for heat stroke. Make sure you check the weather forecast for a general idea of what you should be prepared for going into your trip. If its spring, bring an extra fleece, rain jacket and pants to help fend off the splashing cold water.   In the summer, bring a brimmed hat, sunglasses, and even lightweight long sleeve shirts and pants for sun protection.  In both cases, make sure you are hydrated and well nourished, fulling your body properly helps give it the strength you need for thermoregulation.

  • Swim Properly

Similar to the proper use of a life jacket, swimming correctly in the river can help you conserve energy and avoid unnecessary risk. Use the defensive swimming position, floating on your back, looking downstream with your toes out of the water. Although it is an instinct to stop your motion by standing up, this is one of the more dangerous moves on the river.  The water is stronger than you, and stopping your momentum is unlikely. It’s best to swim actively towards a raft or use the “noes and toes” defensive swimming position. Remember not to panic, the rapid won’t go on forever.

  • Speak Up

Much of rafting safety is in your control. Guides are doing everything they can to keep you safe, but a large portion is in your hands.  If you are uncomfortable with going on a certain section of a hike or don’t want to take an inflatable kayak down a rapid, that’s okay! Just let a guide know that they will help you. The guides are there to keep you safe.  Even if you are cold, hot, thirsty or have a minor cut, let someone know. It’s much easier to combat many small problems than one big one.

 

Rafting safely is all about small actions that prevent large catastrophes. Don’t skimp on the easy stuff and have fun!

White Water Rafting Things To Consider Before Your Trip

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Whitewater Rafting Things to Consider Before You Go

Whitewater rafting in Utah and Colorado can be one of the most fulfilling and enjoyable summer activities; natural beauty, thrill, human connection and a quick way to cool off in the summer heat. But river rafting isn’t a carefully constructed Disneyland waterpark, rivers are subjects of nature. Here are some ways to help you prepare for the trip, whether it’s a Utah one-day river rafting trip on the Green River or a four to five-day raft trip through the heart of Dinosaur National Monument.

First things first. Always, always, always bring a rain coat. Yes, A rain coat. I know what you are thinking, my river trip is in the desert and I checked the forecast. No rain. Well trust me, river canyons tend to take on their own climate. The weather on the river can be vastly different from the nearest town or even 20 miles downstream. The storms in the desert also typically come in quickly and hard, sometimes for hours at time. I know its glamping, but you will still be outside for the duration of the storm so make sure you bring a raincoat that will keep you dry through the storm. Plus, we’re not backpacking, so you don’t have to carry your extra weight.  Just bring it. A good quality rain jacket is also a perfect layer for chilly mornings or evenings around the camp.

Along those lines, you will be outside for the whole time, so, if your trip is for a day or a week make sure you bring a good water bottle that can hook to the boat. Being on the water all day means you are getting double the sun, making it that much more important to stay hydrated.  Dehydration can lead to headaches, nausea, vomiting and general anger. Yep, drinking enough water will keep you happier making your vacation more enjoyable for everyone.

It’s nice to feel the vitamin D sink into your skin for a few hours at a time, but again, you are talking about exposure from sun up to sun down out on the river. Sunscreen and sun protection is very important. Nothing ruins a great vacation like a sunburn. Bring a high-quality sunscreen that you apply often throughout the day. Clothing is also great sun protection. A long-sleeved sun shirt, hat with a brim, sunglasses are all helpful for tackling the summer sun.

Now that you are protected from the elements, remember that people are operating these rafts.  There are no tracks to keep them in exactly the right place in the water, no seatbelts, and no airbags.  While being connected to the earth is part of the beauty of rafting, it also comes with an inherent risk. Don’t worry too much, your guides are trained in not only how to operate the raft, but in wilderness medicine and swift water rescue. The thing you should remember is that they are doing their absolute best and they are trained for an incident if it occurs. Pay close attention to the guides safety speech, listen to their directions and you will have a fabulous trip.

Lastly, remember there might be more to your trip than just the river. Many river trips have beautiful side canyons, archeology, and hiking to explore while you are not on the boats. This can be some of the most memorable experiences and often people leave saying it was their favorite part. Come prepared with good shoes, substantial water bottle, sun protection and be open to your trip evolving into the unexpected. The best trip of your life might not be what you were expecting. Be open to trying new things and connecting with the other passengers.

Now that you’ve got all the details! Let’s go boating!

Thank You

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Thank you seems to small.

Only eight letters to express the rivers of gratitude to each of you. It’s laughable that eight would be enough, for without you our lives as river guides would be undeniably different.  Let me explain.

Each of you that travels down the river, allows us to live and breathe in this amazing national monument. To feel the tug of flowing water on oars every day, to smell like sunscreen and sweat for months on end, and gasp at desert vistas in every moment. By coming on a river trip you allow us to live the way we wish to live.  But more importantly you allow us to feel that we are bigger than ourselves, a part of a history in Dinosaur National Monument while guiding on the Green River and Yampa River.

Each of us become a river guide for a shallow reason, something like: we went on fun vacations with our family as kids, whitewater is a thrill, or even just the novelty of being a river guide.  Every guide will admit it, but the reason we stay river guides is because of you.  As guides grow more sun crusted we learn more about the river and its surroundings; where different petroglyphs are, who the first person to raft the river solo was, where a dam was almost built and how it was stopped, and the story of the Powell expeditions first trip.

Without knowing it, each time we repeat these stories and facts to you, they become part of our personal history.  None of us were on the Powell expedition boating down the Green River Gates of Lodore, but somehow that expedition is as much a part of my history as riding bikes with my brother as a child. Each time we share the river rafting experience of Dinosaur National Monument with you, it becomes our home and its characters our family.

As time goes on, we make our own history:  a upside down boat used as a slip ’n slide at Wild Mountain campsite, a guest that cried because they were so grateful to have their family together, a kid dance party on the boat on the windiest day of the summer. And as John Wesley Powell did, you become part of who we are, a character of the river and part of our family. For you, this river trip may be once in a lifetime, but for us, this trip is life, and you are the reason for it.

Thank you for allowing us to create a home and a family here.  Thank you for allowing us to love our fellow guides and bosses like we do our own parents and families.  Thanks to our families for supporting our unconventional career choices and understanding that the reason we are here, is to connect with a deeper part of ourselves, to become droplets in a massive river system.  Thank you for allowing us to feel simultaneously insignificant and vitality important to the universe.

Thank you for letting us share our home and family with you.

In return for completely changing our lives and the way we view ourselves, we give you eight letters.  Not nearly enough, but perhaps you will feel that the eight letters we give you, are bigger and so much more important than just letters.

 

Thank you.

The Dinosaur River Expedition Guides

 

When you do

Things from

Your soul.

You feel a

River moving

In you, a joy.

 

-Rumi

7 Must Do Outdoor Activities in Utah

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 Whitewater Rafting the Gates of Lodore on the Green River

The Green River meanders through the Utah/Colorado border but is so spectacular we had to keep it number 1 on our list. Entering through the Gates of Lodore sends you on a 44-mile expedition through technical whitewater rapids like Hell’s Half Miles, lets you sleep on peaceful beaches, watch the stars swirl around the canyon at night, explore vista hikes that will drop your jaw hundreds of feet back to the river, and let you live among the mule deer and bighorn sheep for a few days. Luckily the river is permitted, so although over 9,000 people apply to go down the river every year, it will never be overcrowded and you’ll sure to have an unforgettable wilderness experience. Once you have experienced a Green River Gates of Lodore trip you will have to come back and see the Yampa River another western river gem located in the heart of Dinosaur National Monument.

 Hiking in the Uinta Mountains

This is one of the more underrated mountain ranges in Utah.  Just a few hours outside of Park City, the Uinta’s are home to Utah’s tallest peak, Kings peak at 13,534 feet.  The wooded area is home to beautiful mountain lakes, wild flowers, and crisp mountain air and due to its high elevation, it stays cooler in the heat of the Utah summers.  With plenty of trails for day hikes or backpacking, it’s on the list for a Utah must-see.

Canyoneering in Canyonlands

 The slot canyons in Southern Utah are worth getting yourself into.  Spend a day hiking through one of the wider canyons, like the Narrows, or hire a guide to take you and your friends repelling down a longer more technical canyon.  Be sure not to attempt to do this on your own unless you know what you are doing. The canyons and change quickly with weather and you don’t want to be a search and rescue story. You will more than likely spend some time in Moab while you are there stop in to the local owned outdoor recreation and gear experts Moab Gear Traders.

 Backpack the Grand Gulch in Bears Ears

This stunning 52-mile backpacking trip will take you into the heart of Bears Ears. The steep canyon takes you out of this world as you walk past ancient pueblo ruins: everything from granaries and kivas to petroglyphs and pottery shards. It’s believed that Bears Ears was a hub for pre-colonized North America, like and ancient city. Ruins from many tribes can be found throughout the hike, but don’t forget to visit Newspaper Rock on your way out, with hundreds of petroglyphs from centuries of Native Americans.

Fly Fishing on the Green River

The A-Section of the Green River attracts Anglers from around the world. With over 1000 trout per-mile and cold crystal-clear waters, just below Flaming Gorge Dam, you’d be hard pressed to find a better fly-fishing zone in Utah.  Float the 7 miles section in a drift boat or walk along the banks of the river along a trail that runs the length of the first section.  While the A-section is the most popular, the B and C sections also offer amazing fishing with a few less people.  Make a weekend of it and float the A, B, and C sections, reserving a campsite on the riverbanks. Want to learn more about fishing or just need some help with your casting? Not to worry, there is a whole city of fishing guides in Dutch John, Utah happy to take you. Fishing is not your thing but you would still love to see the river, we offer a fantastic scenic river rafting day trip give us a call or book online for Utah one day on the Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam.

 Mountain Biking in Vernal, Utah

 Vernal is giving Moab a ride for its money.  It has something for everyone; easy beginner trails to learn or ride with kids, self-inflicted suffer fest, flowy downhills with a few drops if you are daring, and everything in between. The city sits on the edge of the North-Eastern Utah desert and the Uinta Mountains giving it a uniquely diverse landscape. Within 20- minutes of Vernal in either direction you can ride on Moab Style slick rock or Montana-esque packed dirt in the woods. There are dozens of well-made trails and not as crowded as Fruita or Moab.  Head into the local bike shop, Altitude Cycle, for tips on which trails to ride.

Delicate Arch in Arches National Park

This Utah view is iconic for a reason. The three-mile hike takes you along sandstone slick rock, winding through desert half pipes and bowls. It’s a moderately-difficult hike and worth the trek to see the arch in person.

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